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 Sudden cardiac death (SCD) strikes over 400,000 people annually in the U.S. And unfortunately the recent and unexpected death of beloved NBC news commentator, Tim Russert, is now included in this frightening statistic. Of this number, 120,000 of the total afflicted with SCD are women, and although sudden cardiac death affects both sexes, there may be some subtle and important gender differences. What is Sudden Cardiac Death? The syndrome is defined as a sudden, unforeseen death due to complete loss of cardiac function. Typically, hearts with damaged muscle either from blocked arteries, chronic and uncontrolled high blood pressure, viruses, or excessive alcohol consumption can lead to fatal heart rhythms known as arrhythmias. The most fatal arrhythmia, ventricular fibrillation, compromises blood flow to the brain and vital organs leading to death within minutes if unrecognized and untreated. Causes of Sudden Cardiac Death The most common cause is of SCD for both men and women is coronary artery disease or atherosclerosis. Rare diseases such as inherited electrical cardiac disturbances such as Long QT and Brugada's syndrome are also associated with SCD. These uncommon and potentially fatal cardiac conditions make the heart vulnerable to lethal arrhythmias-abnormal erratic heart rhythms. Krissy Taylor for example, a famed runway model, succumbed to the SCD in 1995. She was only 17 years old. The long QT syndrome is an inherited heart condition characterized by a typical pattern seen on routine ECG-the electrical recording of the heart. Individuals with this rare condition are prone to life-threatening arrhythmias often brought on by exercise or excitement. Women, Electrical Wiring and SCD In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2006, researchers showed that women are more likely than men to carry -- and to pass on -- mutant genes that cause long-QT syndrome. The idea was spawned by the observation that women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with the problem. To test the hypothesis they studied families with the two most common forms of long-QT syndrome, each one caused by a specific gene mutation. Among children in the study who inherited the long-QT genes, 55 percent were girls; 45 percent were boys. Among children who inherited the gene, 62 percent got it from their mothers; 38 percent got it from their fathers. Women - Scared to Death? In another study, investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston showed that women with higher anxiety scores on an anxiety survey had a 59 percent increased risk of sudden cardiac death. Women with phobic anxieties, such as the fear of crowded places, heights or going outside are at higher risk for sudden cardiac death than women with fewer or no anxieties, according to a report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. These risks were lower after controlling for other cardiac risk factors linked to phobic anxiety such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol - the same risk factors associated with coronary artery disease. However, even after controlling for these risk factors, a trend toward increased risk for sudden cardiac death persisted. Women, Kidneys and SCD Another recent study from Johns Hopkins University published in Hypertension showed that women with kidney failure may be at increased risk for sudden cardiac death. Researchers showed that the rate of SCD was higher in those with lower kidney function - even after accounting for traditional cardiac risk factors. Symptoms of SCD Symptoms are not always reliable but remember that the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in men and women is atherosclerosis, so pay attention to symptoms such as chest discomfort, difficulty breathing, neck, jaw, arm or even mid-back discomfort. Sometimes but not always, symptoms of palpitations - fluttering in your chest - or light headedness help to identify people at risk for fatal arrhythmias. Are You at Risk? - Remember that Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) is an uncommon heart condition which is most commonly associated with coronary artery disease. And typical risk factors for atherosclerosis, the main cause of coronary artery disease, include high cholesterol, hypertension, smoking, family history of premature heart disease and diabetes. - A rare disorder - the Long QT syndrome which is associated with SCD may be more common in women. - Additionally, studies suggest that women with phobic anxiety and low kidney function may be at higher risk for sudden cardiac death. How to Help Prevent SCD in Women, Part II 
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